Average Earnings

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the average annual  (a) earnings were and  (b) household income was in Wales in each of the last three years.

Paul Murphy: Average earnings figures complied by the Office for National Statistics are published as a weekly figure. The data for 2007, 2006 and 2005 is as follows:
	
		
			   Ave rage gross weekly earnings (full- time) (£) 
			 2007 472.1 
			 2006 466.2 
			 2005 (1)454.8 
			 (1 )Due to a change in Office for National Statistics methodology the 2005 figure is not directly comparable to 2006 and 2007. 
		
	
	The latest data on estimated gross disposable household income in Wales for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 was published in March 2007 and is as follows:
	
		
			   Estimated gross disposable household income (GDHI) (£) 
			 2005 11,851 
			 2004 11,322 
			 2003 10,932

Poverty: Disabled

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to tackle disability poverty.

Anne McGuire: The Government are committed to tackling all aspects of disability poverty and has made considerable progress. In terms of financial poverty the number of disabled individuals in households with an income below 60 per cent. of median on an after housing cost basis fell by 500,000 in Great Britain between 1998-99 and 2005-06.
	The 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review announced measures that would support the alleviation of disability poverty, including commitments to tackle the issues of aspirational poverty and poverty of opportunities. These include measures to narrow gaps in educational achievement, employment outcomes and to promote equality.
	The Office for Disability Issues' annual report, in December 2007, published a set of measures of income poverty and material deprivation which will be used to track Government progress towards equality. These measures are based on consultation with disabled people.
	 Notes:
	1. Data is taken from the households below average income series 2005-06.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100,000.
	3. The definition of disability used by HBAI changed in 2002-03. It is not possible to separate out definitional and real effects. For 1998-99, available data excludes Northern Ireland, therefore changes across Great Britain between 1998-99 and 2005-06 have been presented.

Flood Control: Finance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2008,  Official Report, column 400W, on what additional funding he is providing for the implementation of Sir Michael Pitt's recommendations beyond that allocated to the Environment Agency for flood defence work in 2008-09;
	(2)  how the figure of £34.5 million was decided upon as an initial provision needed to implement Sir Michael Pitt's recommendations;
	(3)  what budgetary provision has been made for financing the final recommendations of Sir Michael Pitt once they have been published;
	(4)  what steps his Department has taken to prepare to implement the final recommendations of Sir Michael Pitt in a timely manner once they have been published.

Phil Woolas: As announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Hilary Benn) in his written ministerial statement of 4 February 2008,  Official Report, column 50WS, an initial provision of £34.5 million has been set aside to fund work arising from the Pitt Review. This decision was discussed at the EFRA Committee on 6 February 2008. Not all the recommendations from the review are expected to be for Government to address. The funding allocated so far will not necessarily cover all the recommendations, and is subject to further consideration. We will determine how this should be spent when we see Sir Michael's final report and the priorities it contains.
	We look forward to Sir Michael's final report and recommendations. As always my Department stands ready to play its part in such actions as the Government subsequently decides.

Departmental Contracts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what contracts were awarded by his Department to  (a) KPMG,  (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers,  (c) Ernst and Young,  (d) McKinsey,  (e) Deloitte and  (f) other consultancy firms in each of the last 12 months; and what the (i) purpose and (ii) value was of each of these contracts.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice was established on 9 May 2007. Information for the last 12 months is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Details of consultancy firms used by my Department in the period from April 2007 until September 2007 are provided in the following schedule.
	
		
			  Service Provider  Brief service description  Expenditure April to September 2006-07 (£) 
			 2020 Delivery 12 weeks RDS help to increase capacity for statistical analysis and modelling 83,000 
			 Adam Spriggs Review IT system for collating management information for Parole Board 2,000 
			 Alexander and Partners Facilitated forums and groups discussing Witness Protection 15,000 
			 Alexander and Partners Facilitated forums and groups discussing Witness Protection 3,000 
			 Alexander Cameron Interview Programme for HR Senior Management Team 6,500 
			 Alexander Cameron Pay and Grading Project 600 
			 Aon Insurance Advice for new DCMF prisons 1,300 
			 Atkins Asset Management Framework Audit Commissions—Internal Audit. 54,544 
			 Atkins Ltd Pay and Grading Project 97,758 
			 Ben Crowe Citizenship insight Project and production of Family Justice Insight Paper 8,400 
			 Bird and Bird Caseflow—Case Management Legal Advice 66,000 
			 BIT Critical Caseflow Consultancy 35,000 
			 BMG Research Socio-legal research 3,055 
			 Bovis Lend Lease Provide scoping paper for taking forward refurbishment project on Gwydyr House 4,700 
			 Bridley Consulting Review of Judicial Training Administration 7,943 
			 Centre for Public Innovation CPI to produce a Strategic Mapping event for the ROM for SE England 12,750 
			 CESG Vulnerability analysis (IT Health Check) of a new IT system within the NOMS Directorate for the handling of UK 'Restricted' data 6,816 
			 CMAS—June Shurmer Chartermark Consultation 300 
			 CMC Logica Management Information and Database Expertise 110,948 
			 COI Communications Pay and Grading Project 52,146 
			 Collinson Grant Ltd London Probation Service Review of Operations 189,050 
			 David Nooney Review of Judicial Appointments Procedures 4,800 
			 Delia Coonan Support on designing e-learning 1,174 
			 Development Planning Partnership Planning reports on existing estate and specific planning advice 65,329 
			 Digits Industries Ltd Consultancy connected with development of Computer-Based Training 1,763 
			 Digits Industries Ltd Consultancy connected with development of Computer-Based Training 411 
			 Drivers Jonas Asset Management 27,759 
			 Eclipse Development of software to predict re-offending 10,000 
			 Effortmark Forms consultancy—providing expert advice on the revision of forms and user testing 2,820 
			 Ernst and Young Prison Performance Framework—Analyst 253,500 
			 Ernst and Young Workshop 37,500 
			 Ernst and Young Review of best practice for performance and capability assessment methodologies for IPPF and the selection of the first wave of Probation Trusts 35,000 
			 Ernst and Young Workshop consultancy 19,000 
			 Ernst and Young Initial assessment of strategic options 15,000 
			 Exeter University Report on influencing debtor behaviour in support of the HMCS PAN pilot 60,000 
			 First Assist Investigation Advice 2,322 
			 Capgemini Benefits realisation CJS IT, development and application of best practice tools 171,000 
			 Capgemini Facilitated forums and groups discussing Witness Protection 6,300 
			 GVA Grimleys Challenging Rating Assessments 47,496 
			 Hartley Provided OR Analyst support for the CJS Modelling work to support CSR 07 12,000 
			 Hazel Genn Qualities and Abilities Framework 3,600 
			 Heath Lambert Risk assessment project for Probation Trusts 4,020 
			 Hedra Consultant to produce a business case for Re Connect Project 40,000 
			 Hensby Communications Press and PR handling of Annual Report 1,125 
			 Higham Dunnett Shaw Consultancy and upgrade of Judicial Pensions Database 3,525 
			 HMSC Birmingham University Updating Prison Website 7,400 
			 Impact Plus Review of the Probation Change Programme 20,000 
			 Institute of Employment Studies Independent review of the Job Simulation Assessment Centre (JSAC) with the Management Selection Unit (MSSU) in Wakefield 45,360 
			 IPSOS MORI Health and social care survey (research consultancy) 12,014 
			 IPSOS MORI Customer satisfaction survey (research consultancy) 8,279 
			 Jo O'Driscoll Project Management of Annual Report 4,209 
			 John Garnett Specialist advice on claims issues 24,415 
			 June Shurmer Chartermark Consultancy 375 
			 KM Research and Consultancy Ltd Socio-legal research 8,343 
			 KPMG Policy Consultancy 49,500 
			 KPMG Development of an implementation snapshot document 49,000 
			 KPMG Work on the Change Strategy Review 44,800 
			 KPMG Report on the nature and type of regulatory frameworks 21,800 
			 KPMG Provision of management review and assessment for Communications Directorate 14,117 
			 KPMG Pensions/Appointments Law Commissioners 10,454 
			 Law Absolute Lawyer for Court Rules project supplementing in house legal 11,135 
			 Leapfrog Public Relations PR and communications—increase awareness of community justice in north Liverpool and increased confidence in CJS 13,860 
			 London Economics Research and analysis which formed part of our Consultation Paper on insurance contract law 7,459 
			 M Boleat Consulting Advice on setting up and implementing Claims Management Regulation 10,800 
			 Manchester University Prison Health Research Network with the Mental Health in Reach Unit 290,000 
			 Matrix Evaluation of Dedicated Drugs Courts 50,000 
			 Matrix Socio-legal research 16,729 
			 MBSM Consultancy—interaction with police forces and systems 15,073 
			 Melva Burton Consultant 15,000 
			 Mersey Care NHS Trust Segregation Project with the Department of Health 21,600 
			 Mitchelmores Solicitors Legal advice on property matters and resolution of CUPID Property Transfer Issues 659,525 
			 Modis International Ltd Development of computerised Case Management system 49,078 
			 Morgan Hunt Consultancy work to review the programme and project management reporting structures 7,191 
			 Mott MacDonald with support from PwC Business Process Re-engineering (Courts) Project 153,000 
			 Nicholson McBride Executive Coaching 18,345 
			 Nick Sanderson Investigation into holding of prisoners in court cells 9,555 
			 Office of Government Commerce Consultancy—advice for the Supreme Court Project 29,884 
			 Office of Government Commerce Review of C-NOMIS 24,913 
			 Oliver Wyman Carter Review 225,000 
			 Oracle Phoenix Sales and Investment Project 377,780 
			 PA Consulting Analysis of public perception of the CJS in order for the issue to be better covered in the 2008 CJS Strategic Plan. Facilitated a seminar on the issue 6,775 
			 PA Consulting Divisional Consultancy 99,000 
			 PA Consulting Courts Act—Post implementation Review 74,629 
			 PA Consulting Facilitated forums and groups discussing Witness Protection 10,500 
			 PA Consulting Cost-benefit of rolling out the Re-Connect prisoner resettlement scheme nationally 5,340 
			 Pakes Developed a Mental Health Effective Practice Audit Checklist 3,500 
			 Parity Facilitated forums and groups discussing Witness Protection 10,000 
			 Partnerships UK Procurement advice for DCMF Prisons 158,850 
			 Pat Johnstone Facilitated forums and groups discussing Witness Protection 6,400 
			 Paul Roscorla Associates Ltd, Metis Psychological Consultants, Myriad Solutions Optimising potential with the Leadership and Talent Development 20,400 
			 Penna Interim Executive Executive coaching 9,957 
			 Portchester Micro Tools Ltd. Evaluation plan for accredited offending behaviour programmes 28,200 
			 PRAESTA Executive Coaching 5,640 
			 Price Waterhouse Cooper Support to the finance team in all matters relating to the MoJ Finance Transition Project 120,000 
			 Price Waterhouse Cooper Carter Review 52,000 
			 Price Waterhouse Cooper Draw together existing analysis 24,675 
			 Price Waterhouse Cooper Diversity and Community relations consultancy 6,000 
			 Prof Richard Lamming Consultancy for preparation of a second seminar/workshop relating to the innovation and relationship management for a senior NOMS commissioning audience 5,000 
			 QI Provided support to the development of the cross CJS CSR Efficiency Plan 156,801 
			 Richard Bailey Esq. Advice and operational/logistics management of Inquest 9,700 
			 RM and BR Merkin Research and analysis on insurance contract law 500 
			 Robert Walters Programme content design—future leaders scheme 11,797 
			 Roy Walmsley International Prison Population Statistics 6,315 
			 Russell Reynolds Associates Delivery of project support office for MoJ Change Project 52,485 
			 Samantha Jones Consultant to review, oversee and provide periodic updates 1,750 
			 Sarah Cooke Ltd Advice on human rights issue 11,500 
			 Security and Standard Consultancy Provision of quality assurance and technical support services of the electoral modernisation programme 109,366 
			 Siemens Enterprise Commun. Pay and Grading Project 1,100 
			 SJT Associates Internal Estates Benchmarking System for Property 20,608 
			 Snap Survey Shop National Staff Survey with the HR Planning Team 13,300 
			 STC Energy Management Expert support on our energy monitoring system. Gathering and verification of half hourly data from our electricity supplier 20,328 
			 Stephanie Grundy Lawyer for Court Rules project, supplementing in house legal provision 12,373 
			 Stopgap Lawyer for Court Rules project, supplementing in house legal provision 31,467 
			 Stopgap Lawyer for Court Rules project, supplementing in house legal provision 17,373 
			 The Rialto Consultancy Ltd Consultancy Services 9,915 
			 The Whitehall and Industry Group Fees for the recruitment, placement and registration of two Non-Executive Directors to the JSB Executive Board 11,400 
			 The Whitehall and Industry Group Recruitment consultancy for non-executive member of Legal Services Reform Programme 2,350 
			 Tower Perrin Pay and Grading Project 103,971 
			 Tower Perrin Pay and Grading Project 36,909 
			 Tower Perrin Pay and Grading Project 2,400 
			 Tribal Supported the development an appraisal process to assist OCJR to better assess the projects within its portfolio 33,580 
			 Tribal Consortium Risk Management 27,454 
			 Tribal Consortium Skills Learning Training Materials for unpaid work supervisors 14,700 
			 Turner and Townsend Facilities Management Strategy Review 35,052 
			 University of Portsmouth Development of a redesigned qualifications framework 100,000 
			 Vice Versa Projects To run a Consensus Methodology 15,000 
			 Vice Versa Projects Consensus Methodology facilitator 10,000 
			 Ville and Co. Executive coaching 1,144 
			 Wheelers (Southampton) Framework Audit Commissions IAD Requirement 86,278 
			 Willis Ltd. Insurance consultancy services for the Supreme Court 8,402 
			 Winstone Developed a Mental Health Effective Practice Audit Checklist 2,500 
			 Wrigglesworth Consultancy Ltd. Publicity services 3,187 
			   5,540,117

Prisons: Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what representations he has received from Wrexham County Borough Council on the provision of a prison in North Wales in the last 12 months.

David Hanson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr. Straw) has received no formal representations from Wrexham county borough council on the provision of a prison in North Wales in the last 12 months. However, NOMS Custodial Estates has had discussions with Wrexham county borough council in conjunction with North Wales Criminal Justice Board about the possibility of sites becoming a prison development in the Wrexham area.

Truancy

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the rate of unauthorised absence was in  (a) Cornwall,  (b) the South West and  (c) England in each year since 1979.

Kevin Brennan: Information on absence rates for the latest available year, 2006/07, is shown in the table. Data on pupil absence was not collected prior to 1993/94; however comparable data for 1993/94 to 2005/06 is not readily available on a consistent basis at local and regional levels.
	
		
			  Primary, secondary and special schools( 1, 2) ,  p upil absence by type of school, 2006/07, for Cornwall local authority area and South West Government office region 
			Maintained primary and secondary schools, all special schools, city technology colleges and academies 
			  Percentage of half days missed( 3) 
			Number of day pupils of compulsory school age( 4)  Number of enrolments( 5)  Authorised absence  Unauthorised absence  Overall absence  Percentage of persistent absentees( 6) 
			  England 6,332,070 6,582,430 5.49 1.00 6.49 4.1 
			  South West 608,520 633,080 5.66 0.86 6.52 3.8 
			 908 Cornwall 62,585 65,044 5.84 0.79 6.64 3.5 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (3) The number of sessions missed due to authorised/unauthorised/overall absence expressed as a percentage of the total number of possible sessions. (4) Pupil numbers are as at January 2007. Includes pupils aged five to 15 with sole and dual (main) registration. Excludes boarders. (5) Number of enrolments in schools between from start of the school year until 25 May 2007. Includes pupils on the school roll for at least one session who are aged between five and 15. Excludes boarders. Some pupils may be counted more than once (if they moved schools during the school year or are registered in more than one school). (6) Number of persistent absentees expressed as a percentage of the total number of enrolments.  Note: National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census.

AIDS: Finance

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of treating an AIDS patient  (a) in hospital and  (b) as an out-patient.

Dawn Primarolo: This data is not held centrally in the format requested. Costs of treating people with HIV vary depending on the severity of symptoms and level of immune suppression. Estimated annual costs of HIV treatment, including the costs of combination antiretroviral therapies range between £12,000 to £19,000 per person. Treatment is lifelong. Total national health service expenditure on HIV treatment in 2006-07 was £497 million. This was the first year this data has been collected since HIV treatment and care budgets were placed into NHS baselines in 2002-03.

X Rays: Maladministration

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who have been mistakenly sent for x-rays or CT scans in each English region in each of the last five years. [Official Report, 21 July 2008, Vol. 479, c. 3MC.]

Dawn Primarolo: The requested information for the period between 1 January 2003 and 31 October 2006 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of incidents notified under Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IRMER) 2000 to Secretary of States' Inspectors which were classified as patient identification (ID) and referral errors from 1 January 2003 to 31 October 2006 
			   Region 
			   Eastern  London  North West  North Yorkshire  South East  South West  Trent  West Midlands 
			   CT  X-ray  CT  X-ray  CT  X-ray  CT  X-ray  CT  X-ray  CT  X-ray  CT  X-ray  CT  X-ray 
			 2003 1 0 3 0 4 4 2 5 2 8 1 1 1 3 4 0 
			 2004 0 0 1 2 1 1 4 1 5 9 2 0 1 7 2 4 
			 2005 0 1 1 0 2 0 1 4 4 6 1 5 1 3 1 1 
			 2006 0 1 0 2 1 1 1 2 5 5 0 2 0 0 0 4 
		
	
	From 1 November 2006 the Healthcare Commission assumed responsibility for enforcement of the (IRMER) 2000 in the Amendment Regulations of 2006.
	In March 2008 the Healthcare Commission published the first report on its activities in this area this included an analysis of the errors that led to patients being exposed unnecessarily to medical radiation.
	From 1 November 2006 to 31 December 2007 there were 105 notifications of errors in the referral of patients for diagnostic x-ray, CT scan and other diagnostic radiology investigation.
	The following table provides a breakdown by strategic health authority (SHA) area of notifications received from national health service trusts.
	
		
			  Breakdown by SHA area of diagnostic patient ID error 
			  SHA  Diagnostic patient ID error 
			 Independent Healthcare 1 
			 East of England SHA 8 
			 London SHA 12 
			 North East SHA 4 
			 North West SHA 8 
			 South Central SHA 9 
			 South East Coast SHA 11 
			 South West SHA 8 
			 West Midlands SHA 30 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber SHA 14 
			 Total 105